Wake Forest Athletics
Women's Soccer Report - Week 4 Update
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 21, 1998
DEMON DEACONS VISIT NO. 3 NOTRE DAME IN KEY BANK CLASSIC -- The Wake Forest women's soccer team continues its stretch of play against nationally-ranked competition this weekend when the Demon Deacons travel to South Bend, Ind., for the Irish-Key Bank Classic. Wake Forest will face Missouri on Friday at 5 p.m. and take on 3rd-ranked Notre Dame on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Deacons will be facing a team ranked among the nation's Top 20 for the third consecutive weekend.
SCOUTING THE DEMON DEACONS -- The Wake Forest women's soccer program, now in only its fifth season of competition at the varsity level, has already made a name for itself on the national level. The Demon Deacons have been ranked among the nation's top 20 teams and have earned invitations to the NCAA Tournament in each of the past two seasons. Head coach Tony da Luz has a squad comprised of a number of key veterans plus a talented freshman class which he hopes will guide the Deacs to their third consecutive NCAA berth this fall.
The Wake Forest offense is led by a duo of senior midfielders in Stefanie Mathews and Meghan Suddes. Suddes leads the team in scoring with four goals while Mathews is responsible for three goals and one assist. Also a part of the deep midfield is junior Anne Shropshire, who owns one goal and a team-high five assists this season.
Up front, the Demon Deacons turn to a duo of freshman in Emily Taggart, who scored a goal in her first career game against College of Charleston, and Stacy Roeck, as well as sophomore Christie Melby to handle the forward position. The trio has combined for four goals and four assists this season.
The Wake Forest defense is anchored by two seniors in Jessen Snyder, who owns 70 career starts, and Norine Fernbach. In goal, the Deacs will turn to either freshman Erin Regan, 1.87 GAA in 1998, or senior Sari Rose, who recorded shutouts vs. Charleston and Davidson, to provide steady play as the starter from 1997, Beth Klein, works to recover from a knee injury suffered last fall.
WEEK THREE RECAP -- Wake Forest opened the 1998 Atlantic Coast Conference schedule last weekend with two matches on the road. The Deacons defeated Florida State, 3-1, before falling to Clemson, 2-1. Wake Forest's record now stands at 4-2-1 overall, 1-1-0 in the ACC.
On Friday, the Demon Deacons overpowered Florida State to post a 3-1 victory. Wake Forest jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind goals from Anne Shropshire, Meghan Suddes and Colleen Bradley before surrendering Florida State's lone goal in the game's 87th minute. Wake Forest got on the scoreboard quickly against Clemson when Stefanie Mathews found the back of the net on a breakaway just 3:18 into the game. Clemson battled back, however, and tied the game on a free kick just before halftime. The Tigers took the lead early in the second half and kept the Deacon offense at bay for the rest of the day to claim the victory and had Wake Forest their first ACC loss of the season.
SHROPSHIRE ENTERS THE RECORD BOOK -- Junior midfielder Anne Shropshire added her name to the Wake Forest record book with her two-assist performance at Davidson earlier this season. Now with five assists this year, Shropshire has raised her career total to 18 and moved into first place on Wake Forest's career list. The previous record holder was Cheryl Zimmermann who tallied 15 assists from 1994-97.
Shropshire, who led the Deacons in assists last fall, is shooting to break the single season school record of seven, held by four people including herself.
The Lexington, Kty., product now has 40 points in her career, and will likely break the all-time school record in that category this season as well. The current mark was set by Zimmermann who amassed 43 points in her career.
SNYDER ANCHORS THE DEFENSE -- With senior Jessen Snyder manning the sweeper position, head coach Tony da Luz has the comfort of knowing that his defense is in good hands (or feet). A four-year veteran of the program, Snyder has appeared in 71 games in her career and owns 70 career starts. She is quickly approaching the Wake Forest record for games started in a career (79, set by Cheryl Zimmermann).
Snyder was asked to move from her midfield position of a year ago to the backfield prior to the season. She has not only accepted her new role as a defender but has also excelled at her new position, helping the Deacs allow an average of just 1.36 goals per game - the second best mark in the ACC. Wake Forest owns two shutouts this season as well. Although her name may not show up among the team's statistical leaders, Snyder may be the most valuable player on the squad.
FRESHMEN OF INFLUENCE -- Although just five games into the 1998 season, the Wake Forest freshman class has already made its presence felt. The four field players - F Emily Taggart (1 goal, 2 assists), MF Sarah Kate Noftsinger (1 g, 1 a), MF Stacy Roeck (2 gs) and F Rachel Parri (1 g, 1 a) - have accounted for five of the Demon Deacons' 15 goals (33%) this year as well as for four of 13 assists (31%).
GK Erin Regan, too, has made her mark in goal for the Deacs. After sitting out the season opener with a strained quad, she started against South Carolina and allowed just one goal in 120 minutes. She made 14 saves in the Portland tournament and now owns a 1.87 GAA.
INSIDE THE ACC STATISTICS -- The Demon Deacons have several players listed among the ACC's statistical leaders. Junior Anne Shropshire is currently tied for fourth in the league standings with 0.71 assists per game while freshman goalkeeper Erin Regan ranks third in GAA (0.60) and first in saves per game (5.80). As a team, Wake Forest ranks second in scoring defense (1.36), second in shutouts per game (0.29) and fourth in scoring offense (2.14).
'98 SCHEDULE AMONG NATION'S BEST -- Wake Forest will certainly not be accused of taking on a soft schedule this fall, as head coach Tony da Luz has issued a challenge to his players with one of the toughest schedules in the country. In addition to the always difficult ACC schedule (which currently boasts four teams ranked among the nation's top 20), the Demon Deacons have non-conference matchups with tournaments at No. 6 Portland and No. 3 Notre Dame. Wake Forest also takes on UNC Greensboro, a NCAA Tournament team from a year ago, UNC Charlotte, Kentucky, South Carolina, and LSU.
HEAD COACH TONY da LUZ -- Now in his second season at Wake Forest, Tony da Luz owns a 15-10-3 record as the leader of the Demon Deacons. In seven seasons overall as a head coach, da Luz has compiled a 61-52-6 record. He came to Wake Forest after a successful five-year stint at the University of San Diego, where he led his team to the NCAA playoffs in 1996. His success at San Diego earned him West Coast Conference Coach of the Year honors as well as NSCAA West Region Coach of the Year accolades in 1996.
